Life-guard and track-clearer



(No Model.)

6. W. HELD, Jr.

LIFE GUARD AND TRACK ULEARER.

Patented Oct. 31, 1882 NlTE STATES rrrcn.

ATENT LIFE-GUARD AND TRACK-CLEARER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,692, dated October31, 1882. Application filed April 16, 1880. Renewed May I, 1882. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES \V. HELD, Jr., of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new andusefullmprovementsinLife-GuardsandTrack- Ulcarers, of which thefollowingis afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, the same not having been, to my knowledge, heretofore patentedin any foreign country.

Myinvention has relation to that class of life-guards and track-clearerswhereby an ordinary street-car track or other tracks may be kept clearof obstructions by means of a small revolving block located in theangular space between the car-wheel and the track, made to revolve byfrictional contact with the tread of the wheel, operating to projectobjects from off the track by reason of its rapid motion, and especiallydesigned to prevent the possibility of any portion of the human bodylodging between the rail and wheel.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and more effectivemeans than heretofore provided of adjusting the movable guards withrespect to the track and surface of the wheel; to make the arm whichcarries the guard cheaper, easier to make, and better adapted towithstand the effects of shocks or strains; to simplify the means ofattaching the scrapers which operate in conjunction with the guards, andto provide a rotatory guard which need only be put in motion at theinstant itis struck by an object.

Ilo accomplish all of this the invention involves certain new and usefulpeculiarities of construction and relative arrangements or combinationsof parts, all of which will be hereinafter first fully described, andthen pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of one wheel of a car-truck,showing one means of connecting the guard with the axle-box inaccordance with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section andpartial elevation upon a plane passing through the axis of the rotatoryguard, and indicating an improved method of uniting the scraper with thesupporting-arm. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the improvedguard-supporting arm detached from the axlebox. Fig. 4 is a sectionalelevation, showing the adjusting-bolts as applied to a separable plate,which plate may be connected with the axle-box; and Fig. 5 is anelevation and sec tion of a single bolt adapted to aflord all theadvantages of the twin bolts shown in other figures. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9are sectional views at right angles to the axis of the rotatory guard,and indicating various forms which may be given the said axis in orderto insure the operation of the guard in accordance with my invention.

Like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate correspondingparts in all the figures.

A is the car or other wheel, running upon track 13, and having inconnection therewith a rotatorylife-guard and track-clearer, (J, locatedin the angular space between the wheel and track and adapted to receiveits motion from the wheel A.

In previous constructions and applications of this form of guard thesupporting or carrying arms have been forged, necessitating considcrableexpense and requiring careful fitting to correspond with the particularcar to which it is applied.

I make the supporting-arm I) of flat or rolled metal, which has only tobe bent,snbstantially as indicated at Fig. 3, punched twiceonce for theattaching bolt or bolts and once for connecting the axle of theguard-and the arm is finish ed. Aside from its cheapness and greaterrange of application to various heights ofaxleboxes and varyingsize ofcarwheels,&c., this tlat bar or supportingarm possesses this advantageover the old torgedstyles viz., itmay be made very much lighter, and ismuch better adapted to withstand the effects of any lateral blows orstrains than the other, since its greatest width is directly opposite toall such side strains.

It has been found that one of these guards is all that is reallyrequisite foreach wheel, and that of course should be placed on the sidenearest the end of the car but in some cases each wheel may be providedwith two of my improved guards, if found desirable. The axleboX affordsthe most convenient and advantageous point of attachment, since this boxmaintains a nearly-uniform height above the track; but any other pointof attachment might be selected.

ThebarDis provided with an elongated slot, at, through which theattaching bolt or bolts pass.

At E E are shown two bolts, separated from each other by a littledistanceless than the length of slot a. These form an extended bearingfor the supporting-bar, around which the bar cannot revolve, as in thecase of a single cylindrical bolt, and operating to hold said bar firmlyagainst any tendency to lateral disarrangement, rendering it possible toemploy only one guard for each wheel with a single supporting-arm; or,if two guards be desired, then to employ two separate and independentarms, or a double arm'with a correspondingly-' enlarged slot. The boltsE E may be secured in place rigidly upon the axle-box or elsewhere in avariety of ways. As in Fig. 1, they are passed through the bottom of thebox, having a head or nut, 2), inside, which is clamped down firmly uponthe bottom by the nut 0. The bar D is adjustably held in place on thesebolts by the upper and under nuts, (10, between which it is clamped. Thebolts are sufficiently long to afford all the desired adjustments up anddown and the slot ais enoughlonger than the distance between the boltsto afford any desirable lateral adjustments. The arm D be ing placedupon the bolts E E, it is adjusted so as to bring the block 0 at theproper distance above the track and at the proper bearing with respectto the face ofthe wheel, and then firmly clamped in that position. Theusual form of jam-nuts or looking contrivances may be employed inconnection with the several nuts, it being observed that the moresecurely the arm is locked in placetheless liable willthe guards be tobecome disarranged. Instead of being connected with the axle-box, asshown in Fig. 1, the bolts E E may be made fast to a separate plate, asG, Fig; 4, and this plate afterward bolted or otherwise secured inproper place upon the axle-box or elsewhere, after which the arm is tobe mounted, as before. The bearings t t (shown in Fig. 4) may bespecially formed upon the axle-box for the reception of the boltplate,and they afford a very firm means of securing the plate to the box. Thescrew 10 serves to wedge the plate firmly against the bearings it in amanner easily understood.

The elongated bearing for bar D may be obtained by use of a flattenedbolt, E, such as indicated in Fig. 5, the screw-threads thereon for thereception of thelocking-nuts being out much after the manner of-cuttingthe threads for dies and taps. This flattened bolt may be attached to aseparate plate, G, or directly to the bottom of the axle-box, same as inthe case of the double bolts. The double bolts are preferred on accountof their simplicity and ease of manufacture.

In previous forms of this type of life-guard and track-clearer the blockhas been maintained constantly against the tread of the wheel, andtherefore when the car is in motion is kept revolving at a rapid rate,involving the wearing out of its axle and the wearing away of thesurface of the block itself. The only time when the rapid revolution ofthe guard is advantageousis when it is in contact with some object otherthan the car-wheel which it is designed to project from off the track,and therefore I hang the guard at a trifling distance from the face ofthe ca r-wheel,

so that under ordinary circumstances it (the guard-block) will notrevolve, and arrange it in such manner that whenever it is struck itwill be brought to bear against the face of the car-wheel andimmediately commence its rapid revolutions. This I accomplish by makingthe axis K smaller than the bore of the block, as indicated at Figs. 6,7, 8, and 9, wherein it is plainly shown that the axis K may beof'various forms in cross-section. The general form indicated in Fig. 6is most preferred; but it may be cut away by a plain out, as in Fig. 7,be made considerably smaller than the bore, though still leftcylindrical, as in Fig. 8, or cut away on both sides, as in Fig. 9. Fromthese figures it will appear that any object striking the guard in adirection opposed to its forward motion with the car, as indicated bythe arrow-heads, will force it up against the carwhcel,and then itsrevolutions will commence. By thus arranging the guard so that it willride free of the wheel and only revolve at the moment required allunnecessary wear is obviated, the heating of its axle is avoided, andthe block may be made of asolid piece of rubber or other soft materialnot likely to tear or unduly injure the flesh of persons, the protectionagainst accident to persons being one of the chief features of this typeof guard. So far as this portion of the invent-ion is concerned, theremay be various ways of swinging or hanging the guard so that it willonly revolve when needed. The method shown of producing the desiredresults are the simplest which I have been able to devise, and they willserve to illustrate the principles of this feature.

The simplicity of the constructions shown in Figs. 6, 7, S, and 9renders it feasible to secure the axis K upon the arm by means of asimple nut, since this form of attachment is amply sufficient tomaintain the axis in place, which would not be the case were the blockto be made to revolve continuously. I therefore use the nut t on the endof the axle K, and this construction in turn enables me to attach thescraper S directly to the axle K, holding it in place by the same nutwhich secures the axle with respect to bar D, all as plainly indicatedin Figs. 1 and 2.

Two washers, g g, of anypreferred form, may

be mounted upon the axle K at the ends of explanations, the improvedguard admirably answers the several purposes and objects of theinvention, as previously stated.

Having now fully described my invention, I desire to add that I make noclaim to a revolvin g guard, per 86, located in the angular spacebetween the wheel and the track; nor do I claim a guard suspended fromthe axle-box; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a life-guard and track-clearer of the character herein specified,the combination, with the axled block, of the flattened suspendiug-armD, constructed substantially as shown and described, and adapted toresist lateral strains, as set forth.

2. The supporting-arm for the axled block, provided with an elongatedslot for the reception of the attaching bolt or bolts which form anelongated bearing for said arm, preventing the same from beingdisarranged by lateral thrusts'or strains, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In combination with bar D, having elongated slot (1, theattaching-bolts E E, applied to the axle-box and provided with theclampin g-n uts, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with the axled guard operating in conjunction withthe car-wheel, of a supporting-bar and means for connecting said barwith the axle-box, operating substantially as specified, so as to permita vertical and horizontal adjustment of the said bar for the purpose ofregulating the position of the guard, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the separated bolts E E, of the attaching-plateG, adapted to be mounted upon the axle-box or elsewhere, allsubstantially as shown and described.

6. In a life-guard and track-clearer of the character herein shown, thecombination, with the car-wheel, of an axled guard-support in front ofand clear of said wheel, and adapted to be revolved by contact therewithas soon as struck by any object upon the track, substan tially as shownand described.

7. In a life-guard and track-clearer of the character herein shown, thecombination, with the car-wheel, of the axled guard supported in frontof said wheel upon an axle cut away or made smaller than the interior ofthe block, said block being made to ride clear of the wheel until struckby some object on the track, substantially as shown and described.

8. The herein-described rotatory block 0, made of solid rubber, andmounted upon an axle supported in the angular space between thecar-wheel and the track, said block being made to ride clear of thetrack and the wheel, in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

9. In a rotatory lifeguard, the combination, with the supporting-arm, ofthe block-axle secured in said arm by means of the nut t, and bearingthe scraper S, substantially as shown and described.

10. The combination of the rotatory block 0, axle K, washers g g, nuts ht, arm D, and

scraperS,substantiallyas shownand described. In testimony that I claimthe foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHAS. IV. HELD, JR. \Vitnesses:

XVoR'rH Oscoon, ARTHUR M. PIERCE.

